Hoist for rounds of ammunition



July 7, 1964 Filed Dec. 12, 1962 H. w. ALDRIN 3,139,798

HOIST FOR ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION 5 Sheets-Sheet l HENRY l/V/LHELM ALDR/IVArrazutrs July 7, 1964 H. w. ALDRIN HOIST FOR ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1962 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. 3 HENRY W/LHELM Amp/Iv (Lt/u. M

A 1 TERA/E Ts July 7, 1964 H. w. ALDRIN 3,139,798

HOIST FOR ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION Filed Dec. 12, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

HENRY l V/LHELM ALDR/N United States Patent 3,139,798 HOIST FOR ROUNDS0F AMMUNITION Henry Wilhelm Aldrin, Bofors, Sweden, assignor toAlrtiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Dec.12, 1962, Ser. No. 244,206 Claims priority, application Sweden Dec. 23,1961 Claims. (Cl. 89-46) The present invention relates to a hoistingdevice for hoisting cartridges to a gun from a store of ammunitionlocated below the gun, and more particularly to a hoist in which thecartridges are fed one after the other to a substantially vertical feedshaft and then hoisted within the same. Ammunition hoists of this kindare used for instance for gun turrets on warships or in forts.Ammunition hoists of the general kind above referred to as heretoforeknown are generally operated by means of motor driven chains orhydraulically driven push rods. In such hoists, the rate of travel ofthe cartridges is rather slow and as a result several cartridgesfollowing closely one to another must be simultaneously. in the shaft toattain the required rate of feed. As a result the feed and transportmechanism of the hoist becomes rather complexand bulky. g

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedammunition hoist of the general kind'above referred to in which thecartridges are hoisted so rapidly that a high average rate of feed canbe obtained with singly feeding of the cartridges through the hoistshaft even though the shaft may be quite long as is frequently the casein practice. This affords the advantage that the hoist can be muchsimplified and is less bulky.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedammunition hoist in which the average rate of travel of the cartridgesis high but is retarded at the discharge and feed end of the shaft. As aresult the mechanism for stopping the cartridge drive for the purpose offeeding cartridges into the shaft can be simple, as it is not necessaryto effect stoppage of the drive within a very narrow range and only onestopping position for each hoisting cycle need be provided.

The aforementioned objects, features and advantages 7 of the inventionand other objects, features and advantages which will be pointed outhereinafter, are attained by providing in the hoist shaft a sled orcarrier which coacts with the base flange of a cartridge to be hoistedby means of a lug protruding into the shaft and which is reciprocated inthe shaft by means of a linkage system formed by swinging links orlevers. The levers of the system reverse their direction of movementwhen the sled reaches one of its end positions and are so correlatedthat the rate of movement of the levers is automatically retarded priorto the reversal of the lever movements. As a result each cartridge to behoisted starts at the feed end with substantially zero speed, is thenaccelerated to a high rate of speed and is decelerated when approachingthe discharge end of the shaft. This affords the advantage that theforce of the moving masses does not exceed comparatively small andreadily controllable values.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

the sled is pivoted to one end of an output link, the other 3,139,798Patented July 7., 1964 end of which is pivoted to one end of a two-armlink movable in a vertical plane along a curved path by means of adriven input link of the linkage system. The other arm of the two-armlink is guided in a curved guide track which guides the links of thelinkage system so that the sled will perform the required acceleratedand decelerated reciprocatory movements.

The hoist shaft may be straight along its entire length, but it isadvantageous to curve the feed end of the shaft. The afore-describedlinkage and guide arrangements permitsuch curvature of the shaftwithoutinterference with the movement of the sled. The curved lower endof the shaft is formed with a feed opening in alignment with which thesled rests on the bottom of the shaft which is slanted in that portionof the shaft. The flattening of the feed end of the shaft facilitatesloading of the hoist since the usually heavy cartridges can be insertedin the hoist in an inclined position in which they can be moreconveniently handled than in a vertical position.

In the accompanying drawing several preferred. embodiments of theinvention are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of a hoist according to theinvention just after a cartridge has been loaded.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hoist on an enlargedscale and showing an intermediate operational stage. i

FIG. 3 is a perspective elevational view similar to FIG. 1 showing acartridge near the discharge end of the hoist.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing loading of thecartridges from a supply magazine.

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line VV of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modification of the hoist.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 5 in detail, there isdiagrammatically shown in FIG. 1 a gun 1 pivotally mounted by means oftrunnions 2. The gun may be visualized as being mounted for instance ina gun turret of a warship. The store of ammunition should be visualizedas being located in a storage chamber which is situated below the gun.The storage chambermay constitute part of the gun turret.

The hoisting device, which willbe more fully described hereinafter,serves to feed cartridges 6 one by one to a loading tray 5 exemplifiedas a pendulum pivotal about trunnions 4. The pendulum receives thecartridges in a vertical position and swings the same into theappropriate position for loading the gun. The gun loading mechanism assuch does not constitute part of the invention and is hence notdescribed in detail. i

The hoist comprises a hoist shaft 3 which is vertical or substantiallyvertical in its upper portion, but curved in its lower portion to definean angle of for instance about 30 degrees in reference to a verticalplane. The upper end of the shaft constitutes the discharge end thereofand the lower end, the loading end. The loading end of the shaft is openat its top side to form an elongated opening 3a for the insertion ofcartridges into the shaft. As can best be seen in FIG. 1, a cartridge 6inserted in the shaft will rest upon the bottom side of the hoist shaftdue to its ownweight. In order initially to guide an inserted cartridgeand to prevent it from being tipped up at the beginning of the hoistoperation, a feed roller 7 having an approximately cross-shaped crosssection is provided and mounted in a position such that it partly coversloading opening 3a.

A ready magazine for accommodating a number of cartridges may beprovided at and above the loading opening. The magazine is formed by twoarms 8 and 9 disposed on opposite sides of the opening and preferablyfoldably mounted. These arms when in the upright position of FIG. 1provide lateral guidance for the cartridges "and coact with a wall 10disposed at the lower end of the opening transverse of the same. Thecartridges inserted in the magazine abut with-their base against thewall and slide along the same. as they are fed into-the shaft.

To prevent longitudinal displacement, wall 10 may be provided with guidetracks 10a which engage the base flange of the cartridges. Thecartridges may be further secured against axial displacement beforeentering the shaft by giving arms Sand 9 the curved configuration bestshown in FIG. 3.

Shaft 3 is formed bylarge fiat plates 11 and 12 which also form ahousingfor the drive mechanism of the "hoist, as will be more fully describedhereinafter.

Inaddition'to the ready magazine formed by arms 8 and. 9 and wall :10, amain supply magazine, may be provided. This-magazine is'shown in FIG. '4as'comprising a'guidetrack 13.

Shaft 3 hasa longitudinal .slot 14 along substantially its entire lengthand'a guide formed 'by guide tracks 15 and 16extends along the length-ofthe 'slot following the curvatureof the shaft (see FIG. 5). A carrier orsled 18 is slidably guided in tracks 15 and 16 by means of rollers17.The sled mounts ,a lug 19 which protrudes into shaft 3 through slot 14to underlie a cartridge placed in the shaft, thereby carrying thecartridge "along when the sled is displaced along, the shaft from theloading end to the discharge end thereof.

FIGxl'shows' the sledin its lowermost'or loading position in which lug19 abuts against the base of agcartridge placed in shaft 3 as previouslydescribed.

"FIG. *2 "shows an intermediate position in which the sled and with itthe cartridge engaged by it has traveled along-part of the-"shaft andFIG. 3 shows the sled nearits uppermost position in which the cartridgeis =-fed out through the upper end of the shaft and is transferred tothe loading pendulum 5.

Lug 19 is pivotally mounted and preferably springloade'd so that it willmove aside when the sled passes a run continuously. The control of themotor may be effected directly at the motor or by remote control and themotor may be stopped upon completion of one revolution by means of amagnetic brake. The linkage system is preferably so laid out that eachrevolution of the motor completes one hoisting cycle.

More specifically, motor is connected by an adapter 26 to a crank 27 towhich is linked one end of a link 28. The other end of link 28 is linkedto a crank 29 fixedly secured on a shaft 30 which is rotatable about apreferably horizontal axis mounted in the frame formed by plates 11 and12. Shaft 30 also seats fixedly secured thereto a link 24, the forwardportion of which is forked.

Cranks 27 and 29 are so correlated that shaft 30 turns through an angleof approximately 60 degrees in one direction of rotation and thenreturns to its starting position for each complete revolution of crank27. Forked link 24 will perform a swinging movement in a vertical planefrom the lowermost position of FIG. 1 into the uppermost position(approximately the position shown in FIG. 3) :and then return into itslowermostposition during each revolution of crank 27 The two limitpositions of forked lever 24 correspond to the dead centers of the crankmovement in which dead centers crank 27 and link .28 are in alignment asis shown in FIG. 1.

Assuming that the motorrotates at a constant rotational speed, it isobvious that the movement of link 24 in its vertical plane will .startvery smoothly and be accelerated. The movement of the link will then beretarded until its direction of movement is reversed, whereupon themovement of the link is again first accelerated and then .decelerated.Link 24 is preferably so curved that its free end ,can swing in behindshaft 3 and into the position shown in FIG. 3.

Theprongs at the free forked end oflink'24 straddle a fulcrum pin 31 ofa link in the form of two-arm lever. 22,

I .23. The length of the fork in link,24 is such that lever newly loadedcartridge at the end of its return run from the position ofFIG. 3 intothe position of FIG. 1. As soonas the sled reaches its lowermost orloading position, lug 19 will again snap behind the cartridge now placedin the shaft for hoisting. The sled may also be fitted with a pivotalclaw.20 which: grips the flange at the base of the cartridge during themovement thereof and secures the cartridge to the sled,'particula'rlyduring the last part of theL'u Ward'moVement of the sled when the rateof speed of'the sledmovement is. decelerated, as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter. The .claw is released from the cartridge whenthe'same is transferred from the shaft to pendulum '5 so that the sledisfree to return to the loading endof the shaft. Themounting and controlof the'claw are not shown in detail as they do not constitutepart of theinvention.

.The. drive mechanism for moving the, sled along shaft 3 in eitherdirection is mounted in the space enclosed by plates 11 and 12 at thelower end of shaft 3. The mechanism comprises a linkage system formed bya plurality of links or levers linked to each other to swing back, andforth, as will bev morefully' described hereinafter. The linkage systemisxpowered by means of a motor 25. The motor.:may be arranged .in asuitable and conventional manner to-be'switched off after eachrevolution, or-it may arm 22 can pass between theprongs of the fork. Arm22 is linked to one end of a-link 21, the other end of which islinked.to sled 18. Line 21 isalso movable ina vertical plane and entersbetween the prongs of forked 'link 24. Lever arm 23 is guided by meansof rollers, 32 into guide tracksj33 and 34formed on the inside wallofplates 11 and '12 respectively. Tracks 33 and 34 define a curved ,pathof movement for rollers 32 guided. therein; more specifically, the upperpart. of the tracks is substantially vertical and the lower part of thetracks iscurved away from shaft '3. I

As is apparent, the spatial movement and the position of two-arm lever22, 23 are controlled entirely by the positionof' forked link 24 andguide tracks 33, '34 since the fulcrum point-31 of the lever moves alonga-curved path in its vertical plane and will always occupy a positioncontrolled bythe position of link 24 while guide tracks 33 and 34controlturning of the lever about its fulcrum-31 or, in other words,thespatialangular position of the lever.

In 'the starting or initial position of FIG. 1, the twoarm lever 22, 23isapproximately horizontally disposed and as the forked link 24 swingsclockwise, the lever is raised more and more (see FIG.'2)--:so that atthe position of reversal of link 24'(corresponding approximately to FIG.3.) the two-arm lever 22, 23 occupies a substantially vertical position.

In addition, lever 22,23 is moved upwardly, :partly due to the swingingmovement of the lever from the position of FIG. 1 into the position .ofFIG. .3 and partly due to the displacement of the turning point of: thelever in guide tracks 33,,34-from the lowermost position of FIG. 1 totheipositionof FIG. 3.

As it is evident, movement of lever 22, 23 from the position of FIG. 1into the position of FIGS will cause a corresponding hoisting of sled 18and such hoisting is further increased and the rate thereof isaccelerated by the movement-of-link21 from the position of FIG. 1 inwhich link 23 is folded in reference to lever 22, 23 into the alignedposition of FIG. 3 when and while lever 22, 23 is fully raised. However,as the angle defined by link 21 and arm 22 approaches more and more a180- degree angle, the rate of movement of the sled is beingcorrespondingly reduced or decelerated. In other words, the rate ofmovement of the sled While being hoisted from the position of FIG. 1into the position of FIG. 3 first increases from zero speed to a highrate of movement and then decreases until again to zero speed at the topof the movement of the sled. By appropriately correlating the coactinglengths of the links, an average high rate of travel of the sled can bereadily attained. The pattern of the speed of the sled movement whenreturning from its uppermost position into the position of FIG. 1 issubstantially the same as during the hoisting of the sled.

The hoisting device according to FIG. 6 is in principle the same as thatof the hoisting device described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 5,except that the curved forked link 24 is replaced by a straight link 35which is so disposed that it will pass during its upward movement thecartridge magazine formed by arms 8, 9 and wall 10 and that it will alsonot interfere with the upward and downward movement of link 22, 23.

Link 35 is operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder 36 which is linkedto the frame formed by plates 11 and 12 and actuates a plunger 38 linkedto link 35 at 37.

The operation of the hoist according to FIG. 6 will be evident from theprevious description.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certainnow preferred examples and embodiments of the invention, it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art after understanding theinvention, that various changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it isintended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in theappended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A hoisting device for hoisting cartridges to a gun from a store ofammunition located below the gun, said device comprising a hoist shafthaving a loading end and a discharge end for feeding cartridges singlyone by one from the store to the gun, a single cartridge sled, guidemeans slidably guiding said sled along the shaft, said sled including alug protruding into the shaft for engaging a cartridge therein to hoistthe same from the loading end to the discharge end of the shaft, a drivemeans, and a linkage means coupled to said sled and said drive means forimparting to said sled a reciprocatory movement from one end of theshaft to the other, each reciprocatory movement of the sled constitutinga hoisting cycle causing hoisting of one cartridge.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means comprisesseveral links correlated and guided to impart to the sled anaccelerating rate of speed at the beginning of its movement from one endof the hoist shaft towards the other and a decelerating rate of speedupon approaching said other end of the shaft.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means comprises anoutput link linked at one end to said sled for movement of the sled bysaid link, an intermediate first link, the other end of said output linkbeing linked to one end of said first link, a curved guide track guidingthe other end of the first link along a curved path in a vertical plane,an intermediate second link linked to an intermediate point of the firstlink to define a fulcrum for said link, said second link being swingablymounted in said vertical plane to permit movement of the fulcrum along acurved path in said plane, and transmission means drivingly couplingsaid second link to said drive means to impart to said link a swingingup and down movement, said links being so correlated that during eachhoisting cycle the input link and the second link are moved from afolded position in reference to each other into an aligned position andback into the folded position, said sled being in the loading positionwhen said links are in the folded position and in the discharge positionwhen. said links are in the aligned position.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said curved guide track guidingone end of the first link has a configuration such that said first linkis in a substantially horizontal position when the fulcrum thereof is inits lowest position in said vertical plane and in a substantiallyvertical position when said fulcrum is in its highest position.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said drive means is a rotarydrive means, and wherein said linkage comprises an output link linked atone end to said sled for movement of the sled by said link, anintermediate first link, the other end of said output link being linkedto one end of the first link, a curved guide track guiding the other endof the first link along a curved path in a vertical plane, anintermediate second link linked at one end to an intermediate point ofthe first link to define a fulcrum for the first link, a rotatable shaftfixedly seating the other end of said second link, said second linkbeing swingable in said vertical plane to provide for movement of saidfulcrum along a curved path in said plane, a third intermediate linkfixedly secured at one end to said rotatable shaft, an intermediatefourth link linked at one end to said third link, an input link linkedat one end to the fourth link and secured at the other end to saidrotary drive means, said links being so correlated that during eachrevolution of the drive means the input link and the second link aremoved from a folded position in reference to each other into an alignedposition and back into the folded position, said sled being in theloading position when said output link and said second link are in thefolded position and in the discharge position when said links are in thealigned position.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said rotatable shaft isstationarily and horizontally mounted, and wherein said second link hasa forked portion straddling the fulcrum of said first link, said firstlink and said output link extending between the prongs of said forkedportion to permit free movement of said output link and said first linkbetween the folded position and the aligned position.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein said hoist shaft has asubstantially vertical, straight upper portion and a curved downwardlyslanted lower portion, said slanted shaft portion having an elongatedfeed opening in its upwardly facing side for loading a cartridge intothe shaft in an inclined position, and said sled guide means beingdisposed at the loading end of the shaft opposite to the side thereofhaving said opening.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein a cartridge guide is providedat said loading opening above the same for gravity feeding of cartridgesinto the shaft, one at a time, and into engagement with said lug of thesled as successive cartridges in the hoist shaft are hoisted by thesled.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said cartridge guide comprisesa pair of guide arms disposed on opposite sides of said opening forlateral guidance of the cartridges and a downwardly slanted wall at therear end of said openings, said arms and said wall forming a readymagazine for stacking therein several cartridges to be fed, one by one,into the hoist shaft.

10. A device according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means comprisesan output link linked at one end to said shaft for movement of the sledby said link, an intermediate first link, the other end of said outputlink being linked to one end of the first link, a curved guide trackguiding the other end of the first link along a curved path in avertical plane, an intermediate second link linked to an intermediatepoint of the first link to define a fulcrum for said link, stationarilymounted means rotatably supporting the other end of the second link formoving 8 said link in a vertical plane jointly with said first link,link are in the folded position and in the discharge posiandreciprocatory drive means coupled to said second tion when said linksare in the aligned position. link to imparta reciprocatory movement tothe same, each reciprocatory' movement of the drive means con-References Cited iI1 the file Of this Patent stituting a hoisting cycle,said links being so correlated 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS that during eachhoisting cycle of the drive means the input link and the second link aremoved from a folded 1554830 Webster Sept 1925 position in reference toeach other into an aligned posi- FOREIGN PATENTS tion and back'into thefolded position, said sled being in 251,176 Germany Sept. 26, 1912 theloading position when said output link and said first 10 321,921Switzerland July 15, 1957

1. A HOISTING DEVICE FOR HOISTING CARTRIDGES TO A GUN FROM A STORE OFAMMUNITION LOCATED BELOW THE GUN, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A HOIST SHAFTHAVING A LOADING END AND A DISCHARGE END FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES SINGLYONE BY ONE FROM THE STORE TO THE GUN, A SINGLE CARTRIDGE SLED, GUIDEMEANS SLIDABLY GUIDING SAID SLED ALONG THE SHAFT, SAID SLED INCLUDING ALUG PROTRUDING INTO THE SHAFT FOR ENGAGING A CARTRIDGE THEREIN TO HOISTTHE SAME FROM THE LOADING END TO THE DISCHARGE END OF THE SHAFT, A DRIVEMEANS, AND A LINKAGE MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SLED AND SAID DRIVE MEANS FORIMPARTING TO SAID SLED A RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT FROM ONE END OF THESHAFT TO THE OTHER, EACH RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT OF THE SLED CONSTITUTINGA HOISTING CYCLE CAUSING HOISTING OF ONE CARTRIDGE.